Villages of Haryana players get Rs 220 mn grant

Chandigarh: The Haryana government has sanctioned nearly Rs 22 crore (Rs 220 million) for the development of villages of medal winners and participants in the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, an official said on Friday.

The state government has identified 92 villages of medal winners and participants across the state for the development grant.

In the October 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and November Asian Games in Guangzhou (China), players from Haryana bagged 30-35 percent of the total medals won by the country.
An official spokesman said the villages of gold medal winners were being given Rs 51 lakh each, those of silver medal winners Rs 31 lakh each and those of bronze medal winners would be given Rs 21 lakh each to carry out developmental work.

Villages of participants in these international events would get Rs 11 lakh each.

The leading players from Haryana include boxers Vijender Singh and Paramjit Samota, discuss thrower Krishna Punia, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and shooter Anisha Sayyed. Twenty-one players from the state had won gold medals at both events.

The spokesman added that the grant was being given to encourage rural youth to take to sports and bring laurels to the country and the state.